performing a condominium security audit handbook

PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM
SECURITY AUDIT HANDBOOK
BY: ARTEM KATSAGA
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
I was always amazed how many different hats
property managers have to wear – lawyer,
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
CONTENTS
accountant, engineer, politician, psychologist,
and, lately – of increased importance, security
expert. When you award your condo’s security
DON'T FORGET TO ASK QUESTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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contract to a security company, you delegate
all responsibility for hiring and training security
SITE-SPECIFIC TOPICS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE POST ORDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
personnel, providing a secure environment
and various other services, i.e. parcels, amenity
bookings, etc. Security is normally on site 24/7
SECURITY GUARD TRAINING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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SECURITY SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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and often act as an extension of Property manageMARK SEENARINE
ARTEM KATSAGA
PRESIDENT/OWNER
VICE PRESIDENT
ment outside the normal business hours.
How do you audit your security company to
make sure that they are doing the job properly
and that you are getting value out of what is,
very possibly, the largest contract of your corporation? How do you ensure that all required security
systems and protocols are in place?
This handbook will assist you in learning what
questions to ask and what to look for.
CAMERAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
PATROL TRACKING SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ALARM MONITORING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ELEVATOR INTERCOM MONITORING AND EMERGENCIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
PANIC BUTTONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECURITY PHONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECURITY REPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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DAILY OCCURRENCE REPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
INCIDENT REPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
EXTRA GUARDS FOR AMENITY BOOKINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
DON'T
FORGET
TO ASK
QUESTIONS…
Check that the scope of the
company’s insurance reflects
can legally provide security services
For example, if your security
deliveries, amenity bookings?
guards are doing valet parking,
does the company’s insurance
defensive equipment on them,
i.e. batons or handcuffs, your security
company must be insured for that.
in the Province of Ontario. There are
many unethical and unprofessional
Would you like your security guards to be
companies out there and there are
able to issue police parking tickets? If so,
cases where companies were taken to
your security company must be authorized
court for operating illegally.
by the municipality your condo is in. Ask to
see the licence from the city. Note, all parking
As you may know, the security
industry is governed by the Ministry
of Community Safety and Correction
Services (MCSCS) under the Private
Security and Investigative Services Act
(PSISA). Under that act, all security
companies must meet 2 requirements:
they must have an agency licence
granted by the ministry and they must
have a minimum $2,000,000 liability
insurance. Both requirements are
not inexpensive but necessary to be
legitimate. Ask to see the company’s
insurance certificate and check if the
security company is, indeed, a licenced
agency on the MCSCS website.
passing, black-out, etc.? Do they know how to
handle normal day-to-day operations, i.e. parcel
condo requires guards to have
awarded. Check that the company
case of elevator entrapment, fire alarm, tres-
the needs of your building.
include valet parking? If your
This starts before the contract is
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
enforcement licences are municipal. A company
would need the Toronto licence to issue
police tickets in Toronto, Brampton licence for
Brampton, etc.
Another very common flaw is the absence of
site-specific POST ORDERS OR STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPS). Post
orders are documentation that contain all information a security guard would need to conduct
their work, including emergency procedures,
desk duties, contractor information, and more.
MANY COMPANIES HAVE STANDARD POST
ORDERS WITH LITTLE TO NO DIFFERENCE
FROM SITE TO SITE. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. Having standardized standing orders
does not account for site-specific rules, policies,
locations, etc. I have often gone into a building
and saw items in the standing orders that
have no relevance to the site. For example, in
standing orders for a large townhouse complex,
Now you have hired a company and they are
I saw procedures for dealing with elevator emer-
now sending their guards to your site. Are the
gencies, when there are no elevators there.
guards licenced? Under PSISA, all guards must
have a valid security guard licence and a valid
first aid certification. Security licences expires
every 2 years and first-aid expires every 3.
You have the right to ask the security guards
on duty for their licence and, by law, they are
required to produce it on the spot. It must be
on them at all times. Not in the bag, not in the
winter jacket.
Are security guards properly trained? This is
Sure, certain procedures are standard acrossthe-board and can be copy-pasted. Other
procedures have to be edited to the site-specific
needs and there would likely be entirely new
procedures that have to be written for your
condo. Is your security company doing that?
Below, in point form, is a list of topics that have
to be covered in the standing orders. This list is
not comprehensive, but does cover the major
points.
a big one. Companies often underinvest in
training their personnel, as this is an added
expense. Do security guards know what to do in
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PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
SITE-SPECIFIC TOPICS TO BE
INCLUDED IN THE POST ORDERS
• DETAILED SITE-SPECIFIC TRAINING
CHECKLIST
• LIST OF ALL EMERGENCY CONTACTS, i.e.
companies looking after the elevators, garage
doors, electricity, HVAC system, emergency
generator; property Vmanagement
emergency line, etc.
• Contact information for the fire alarm monitoring company, including the site ID and
password, if applicable
• EXACT LOCATIONS OF MECHANICAL
• ARE THERE ANY COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
convenience store, barber shop, offices on
supposed to do if bicycles are tied without a
the ground level? If so, what are the rules for
tag or in an unauthorized area?
associating with them? What time do they
• LIST OF ALL KEYS IN POSSESSION SECURITY.
close? Is the place armed after-hours and who
• SITE POLICY ON MASTER KEYS. In what
arms it?
• VISITOR PARKING POLICY. What is the site
way to describe the location would be the
closest parking spot. A guard must be able
to find the location within minutes, should
resident forgot/lost his key and asks the guard
on duty to open their unit door using the
permits required at all times? Or only of the
site master key, what is the procedure? What
visitor parks after 2 am? Is there a monthly
paperwork is required? Is there a form for the
per unit or per vehicle limit for the parking
resident to fill out authorizing security?
permits? If a car is parked illegally, what are
the instructions? Issue a ticket? Call parking
warning? Towing?
room is in the underground parking, best
cases are master key allowed to be used? If a
parking policy? For example, are parking
Just the floor number of garage level will
the number of the closest unit. When the
can be tied to? If so, is a bicycle tag required
from the management? What is security
enforcement to issue a ticket? Parking
room is on a floor, location is referred to by
there places on the property where bicycles
ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDING? I.e.
ROOMS AND EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT.
not suffice. Normally, when the mechanical
• SITE PARCEL POLICY. Are security guards
allowed to accept packages? Is there a waiver
• LOST AND FOUND PROPERTY
• FIRE ALARM PROCEDURES
• WATER TESTING PROCEDURES
(if you have a pool)
• INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE SECURITY
that must be signed? Where are they stored?
EQUIPMENT. Procedures for operating
How are they logged? How is the resident
cameras, viewing playback and any other
notified of a parcel (i.e. mailbox notification,
software/hardware security may be using, i.e.
phone call)?
Front Desk, Concierge Plus, patrol tracking
systems.
there be a need. Of particular importance are
• REAL ESTATE POLICY. Do they have to sign
generator room, fire panel room, annunciator
in? Are key boxes allowed anywhere on the
panel, gas and hydro shut-off, main telephone
premises? Are open houses allowed? Is any
(PREFERABLY WITH PICTURES) FOR
room, sprinkler room, fire safety plan, elevator
signage allowed on the property?
OPERATING EQUIPMENT IN THE CACF
machine room, compactor room/s
• LOCATIONS OF ALL AMENITIES AND
• CONTRACTOR POLICY. What keys can
security issue to the contractors? What is the
DETAILED RULES FOR BOOKING THEM. I.E.
process of making security aware that certain
is there a deposit required for elevator reser-
contractors are coming in, so that security
vations. If so, how much? Does it have to be a
knows they are authorized? Is there a pre-au-
certified cheque or just a regular cheque will
thorized contractor list?
suffice? Who should the cheque be made out
to? Is there a fee for the booking? What times
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are bookings allowed?
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
• BICYCLE POLICY. Are bicycles allowed
through the lobby or in the corridors? Are
• DETAILED, SITE-SPECIFIC PROCEDURES
(CENTRAL ALARM CONTROL FACILITY),
ALSO KNOWN AS FIRE PANEL ROOM.
site-specific procedures for your site. Certain
This equipment includes the fire panel,
procedures such as noise complaint procedures,
communication panel, mag-lock reset, elevator
elevator entrapment procedures, and dealing
reset.
with trespassers are fairly standard and should
As mentioned, the list above is not all-inclusive, as every site is different. The idea is,
your security company must write detailed
be included in the standing orders as well.
The list above mentions some items that are,
generally, site-specific.
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PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
SECURITY GUARD
TRAINING
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
SECURITY SYSTEMS
AND EQUIPMENT
on the property, the criminal may attempt to
destroy the DVRs to get rid of the video footage
of the crime. DVRs should be stored in a well-secured room where nobody but security and
property management have access to and that
All security guards must receive site-specific
Depending on your contract arrangement,
training before they start working, even if the
providing security systems and equipment may
guard has years of security experience. Ask
or may not be the responsibility of your security
your company how do they make sure that their
services contractor. Either way, it is a good idea
guards are properly trained? Do they have a
to examine if the security systems presently
site-specific, detailed training checklist, where a
used at your sites are sufficient and operating
guard would have to initial every item as trained
in good order. As security systems are often
and understood? Who trained the guards? Were
costly, it will always be a dilemma between cost,
Another important question to ask is how long
they trained by the site supervisor or a senior
benefit and necessity.
the footage is stored for? Many modern systems
in a secure place, the monitors showing footage
and playback can be placed at the concierge
desk. With modern technology, many CCTV
systems even allow remote viewing through
your phone or through an internet browser.
are now recording only when camera detects
guard? Did the security manager follow-up to
ensure every guard was trained properly?
is difficult to break into. While DVRs are stored
CAMERAS
Also, is your security company able to fill day-off
motion, allowing them to save the storage space
and to store video footage covering a larger
period of time.
requests, vacations and last minute call-ins with
Are there cameras in all critical areas of the
quality, trained personnel? Do they have a few
building? An absolute must is to have cameras
back-ups trained for the site?
covering all entry/exit points, including the
ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM
loading dock/moving area. Other areas that are
good to cover include: lobbies, including lobbies
Does your condo have an electronic access
in the underground, mailboxes, recreational facil-
control system (i.e. fobs and access cards), a
ities, underground parking and garage ramps.
key access control system, or a combination
of both? Despite the significant start-up costs,
Cameras should be infra-red, to get decent
image quality in minimal lighting conditions;
there are numerous advantages to having an
electronic access control system:
tamper-proof, as cameras are often victims of
vandalisms; and weather-proof, as your cameras
have to function in all conditions.
1. Ability to remove access. If a residents moves
out or a fob is lost, access can be removed
from their fob remotely, so that it will not be
Are the Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) stored
securely? DVRs are some of the most significant
items to protect. Aside from being expensive
pieces of hardware, DVRs store very important
video footage. You’d hope that this doesn’t
happen, but if a serious crime is committed
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able to get anyone into the building. Keys can
be duplicated and it is hard to confidently say
now who has the access to the building.
2. Ability to track access. With this system, it will
be possible to pull a report of who accessed
a certain door and when.
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PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
3. This system could be integrated with the
garage remotes
4. Fobs are cheaper to issue than keys.
PATROL TRACKING SYSTEM
readily available to security guards, property
elevator experiences a medical emergency?
on themselves as well. This should include
managers, and the superintendents. This infor-
Does the guard know when to call the elevator
security guards and the property managers/
mation, on one sheet of paper, should include
mechanical company vs 911 (emergencies). Are
administrators.
the following:
the phone numbers readily available?
• Name and phone number of the monitoring
company
Does your condo have a patrol tracking system?
Patrol tracking system is a system that would
allow you to ensure that the guards are actually
doing the patrols they are supposed to and
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
• All panic buttons will be tested weekly.
• All employees would have to be properly
PANIC BUTTONS
trained on using and testing the panic buttons
• Building ID
• Building code
• Script to be used when calling the monitoring
Does your site require the use of panic buttons?
SECURITY PHONE
Panic buttons allow for alerting the monitoring
station by pressing a button when in distress.
Is there a phone at the security desk? If so, long
This is a quicker and more conspicuous way of
distance calling should be monitored and not
letting somebody know you are in danger. When
allowed unless it is necessary for the building
the monitoring station receives the phone call,
operations. Disabling long distance may not
they have the option of dispatching 911 to the
be a good idea, because sometimes residents
site immediately or go through a contact esca-
would have long-distance phone numbers in
What happens if somebody is stuck inside one
lation list (i.e. security desk, property manager).
their emergency contact information.
of the elevators? Is there an intercom in the
What exactly the monitoring station will do will
elevator? If so, where does the call go once the
depend on the established protocol. If the site
When the security guard is on patrol, they
button is pressed? Does it go to the monitoring
is vulnerable to threats, I recommend having a
should still be reachable. The security guards
• Patrol management software
station or to the security desk? If it goes to the
protocol where police will be dispatched right
must have a company-issued cellphone and
Once everything is properly installed, every
security desk, what happens if the security desk
away. A few other things you should know
forward the desk phone to the cellphone every
time a guard would go on a patrol, they would
is not manned when a call comes in?
about panic buttons:
time they leave the security desk. A patrol
It is a good idea to have the elevator call go
• Panic buttons could be remote or stationary.
somebody in case an emergency arises during
straight to the monitoring company, who would
• To activate a panic button, you would have
patrol and the guard stays reachable by the
check the areas that have to be checked.
company
Normally, these systems are fairly easy to set up
and not too expensive (you can get a decent
one for under $600). These systems consist of
ELEVATOR INTERCOM MONITORING AND EMERGENCIES
the following:
• Station tags to be placed around the property
in key areas.
• Scanner/wand
be required to scan every station tag. A report
could then be pulled up, indicating exactly when
and where the guard was during their patrol.
This will help ensure that the guards cover all
key areas during their patrols. Key areas would
normally include mechanical rooms, side exits,
lobbies, stairwell exits, a few tags in the underground parking, etc.
cellphone serves 2 purposes: guard can phone
then be able to dispatch a technician and let
to press and hold the button for a couple of
the security know. Even if your condo has 24hr
seconds. Pressing it and immediately letting
security coverage, there will be times when
go will not activate the panic button, as this
the guard is on patrol and may not be able to
prevents accidental activations.
receive the call, especially if they are patrolling
the underground parking.
• Stationary panic buttons should be strategically located throughout the building and
employees must be aware of their locations.
ALARM MONITORING
Some of the locations may include the
Once the security guard becomes aware of an
property manager’s office, security desk,
Does your site have a fire alarm system? If so,
elevator entrapment, does he know what to
recreational area, underground parking, etc.
information about the monitoring has to be
do? What do they do if somebody inside the
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residents at all times.
• Certain people might have a panic button
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PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
SECURITY REPORTS
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
DAILY OCCURRENCE REPORTS
reports do not necessarily have to be for
something very bad and doesn’t have to be very
Daily Occurrence Reports (DORs) are the most
long. It can be 4-5 sentences describing a noise
complaint and what was done about it.
Report writing is one of the most important
comprehensive security reports. A DOR is to be
parts of the job for the security guards. Good
updated throughout the shift. A separate DOR
report writing, that is accompanied by photos,
Attention to detail is very important here and
is to be generated for every shift. DOR is an
if need be, provides a clear picture of what
will be more important for more significant
account of everything that happened during the
happened in the building during a said time
incidents. If the report has potential to end up in
shift that could be of any importance. A DOR
period. It offers the property manager informa-
court – it must be written well, with all available
would normally have two columns: time and
tion on items that must be followed up on, fixed,
information included. It is very important to
event. Some of the events that would make it
taken into account, etc. Security reports are also
identify people mentioned in the report. First
into the DOR are:
and Last name is preferred, but is not always
legal documents that can be used in a lawsuit.
A properly written security report could mean
• Time security guard arrives on duty.
the difference between winning and losing a
• Time every patrol is started and time every
lawsuit. So, how do you ensure that the reports
patrol has ended.
are of sufficient quality? How do you ensure
that the reports provide the information that
the property management needs and that the
reports cover the corporation’s liability? A few
guidelines are listed below.
approximate weight, race, attire, anything else
important to include both the times security
that could help identify the suspect, i.e. scar on
guard leaves and comes back. If anything
the left cheek, mole under the right eye.
person. There is no “I” or “we”. If the security
time of the event.
• Parcels dropped off/picked up
parking” or “The writer issued parking tickets to
example, if there is no heat in the hallways, the
• Maintenance/security issues discovered
the following vehicles”.
guard should report exactly that. Security guard
• Any other items that are of any importance to
re-set the fire panel, what time the elevators and
mag-locks were reset, etc.
as the security guard is not qualified to make
that judgement (even if he has an engineering
background).
INCIDENT REPORTS
Below is a brief overview of the major types of
Incident reports are to be written for out-of-or-
between 02:32 and 02:35.
the security reports.
dinary events that need special attention. Do
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what time did the firefighters gave permission to
the building operations
go to court, there could be a huge difference
Security reports should only contain objective/
they occurred. I.e. what time the fire alarm was
the fire panel, what time the fire fighters arrived,
judgement and opinions in a security report. For
see. When something happens and the reports
as possible, most significantly, the exact time
• Amenity bookings made
John Smith started patrol of the underground
ing-off to the nearest 5 minutes, which I often
that all events are described in as much detail
activated, what exactly was the message on
factual information. There is no room for
all times must be mentioned without round-
Should an emergency occur, it is very important
• Contractors on site
“security guard John Smith”. For example: “S/G
All reports must be done using 24hr clock and
description should include gender, approximate
desk and times when he returns. Note it is
about the location of the security guard at the
should not speculate on the reasons for that,
describing a suspect, if name is not known,
age, approximate height, eye and hair colour,
All security reports must be written in 3rd
should identify himself as “the writer” or
can be identified by their badge numbers. When
• Other times when security guard leaves the
happens, one of the first questions would be
guard talks about himself in the report, he
known. Police officers, paramedics, fire fighters,
not be mistaken by the word “incident”. Incident
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PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
EXTRA GUARDS FOR
AMENITY BOOKINGS
PURPLE HE ART SECURIT Y ∙ PERFORMING A CONDOMINIUM SECURIT Y AUDIT HANDBOOK
Contact numbers and emails for both owners
and tenants (if applicable) must be included as
well. I often see resident information lists with
no tenant information. Updated, complete and
accurate resident information is needed for the
It is often a good idea to get an extra guard for
following reasons:
certain amenity bookings. Particularly, party
room bookings and move-ins/move-outs. Both
• Access control. When visitors, contractors,
of these events often bring about a security
deliveries arrive, security guard would at times
breach. When somebody is moving in or out of
have to contact the resident to ensure that the
their unit, they would be leaving outside doors
visitor is legitimate.
open for long periods of time. If in your condo a
• Emergencies. Should there be a flood, security
moving room that is outside of the main lobby
may need to contact residents who may either
is used for elevator reservations, this could
be affected by the flood or who may have
mean that anybody will be able to come into the
caused the flood.
building from the outside without the security
guard noticing them.
So stay informed, inspect what you expect, and
don’t forget to ask questions…
During party room reservations with guests
from outside the building, it could be beneficial
to hire a security guard to look after the party.
The extra guard will ensure that the guests are
not wondering around the building, escorting
guests from the lobby to the party room,
making sure all rules are being followed, i.e. no
drinking, no smoking.
UPDATED CONTACT INFORMATION
Does security have the most up-to-date contact
information for the Security Company, property
management company emergency line, and
emergency contractor information? It is also
very important to have accurate and updated
resident information. The resident information
sheet for every unit should include the names
of all the residents, information about pets,
and information about people with disabilities.
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